Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 47

Thread: New to reloading - most economical calibre

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
    Posts
    5,036

    New to reloading - most economical calibre

    My dad and I are hopefully joining a club with a view to getting lever action cowboy rifles.
    The question is, what is the best calibre to reload... 38/357/44/45?
    Also what would be a good reloading kit to buy.. we will probably reload a couple hundred rounds a month and time will be a factor.
    Finally what are the recommended books to purchase.
    Thanks learned members!
    Donald

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Watford
    Posts
    927
    38/357 would be the most economical to load , smaller (cheaper) bullet , less powder as well.
    Accuracy wise all capable, at the club I go to most use 38/357 for gallery rifle , some use 44mag down loaded to 44 special velocities so as to not exceed range safety limits ( same with 357 magnum- downloaded) .
    Personally I like the 45long Colt , lovely round to use ,but if I was competing in a ' moving' competition it would be 38/357.
    With regards loading gear a lee turret press would be a good start , start loading individual rounds and once confident then use the semi auto feature of it .if you find you are shooting a lot hen a progressive press is the way to go,however they can throw a wobbly if you run out of primers or powder.
    Re books to get- one or more reloading guides form Sierra or other manufacturers,I always recccomend Hand loading for competition by glen zediker,it primarily applies to rifle cartridges but is applicable to reloading in general.
    Not forgetting you tube,whichhas loads of videos on it as well.
    Hope this helps
    James

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
    Posts
    5,036
    Thanks James... lots of food info there.
    I'm not too bothered about pennies per round if that's all the difference there is between 38/357 and 44/45 long colt.. I'm more thinking about what is the most fun calibre. We will primarily be shooting local competitions I think..
    I've been looking at 1892s. really liking the browning guns. It seems to be the most iconic... I love the original Henry rifle as well which comes in 45 long colt
    Donald

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Exeter
    Posts
    35,658
    I know nothing of the rifles or calibres so can't comment on that side,
    but for books there is a series called "one book-one calibre" which as the name suggests you buy for your calibre & it has information from multiple manufacturers of both bullets & powders but only for that cal, rather than a single manufacturer for multiple calibres that you don't have.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Ramsey, Cambs
    Posts
    1,819
    Go for 38/357... they're identical in all respects apart from case length, so a set of dies for 357 will also do 38.... you can then pick and choose which cases to buy, or scrounge, and use them as your starting point.

    Something to consider is whether you use 38 cases in a firearm capable of using 357... there is a 1/10 inch difference between the 2 (so you can't load a high pressure 357 round in a 38 revolver, but you can load 38 in a 357 firearm).

    If you only use 38 cases, that spare 1/10 of an inch in the chamber will get filled with carbon and lead, so if you eventually want to load some 357 it will be tricky..

    Personally, i've only ever used 357 cases for that very reason... you can still load light target loads (3 to 4 gns of a fast pistol powder) in 357 cases.

    HTH

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Inverness, Highlands, God's own country.
    Posts
    10,067
    44 & 45 make bigger holes! Might mean the difference between a 9 & a 10
    Pistol & Rifle Shooting in the Highlands with Strathpeffer Rifle & Pistol Club. <StrathRPC at yahoo.com> or google it.
    No longer Pumpin Oil but still Passin Gas!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    leeds, west yorkshire
    Posts
    12,946
    Quote Originally Posted by DedIdick View Post
    44 & 45 make bigger holes! Might mean the difference between a 9 & a 10
    bigger bang too

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    The Valleys of South Wales
    Posts
    2,456
    Quote Originally Posted by Daryll View Post
    Go for 38/357... they're identical in all respects apart from case length, so a set of dies for 357 will also do 38.... you can then pick and choose which cases to buy, or scrounge, and use them as your starting point.

    Something to consider is whether you use 38 cases in a firearm capable of using 357... there is a 1/10 inch difference between the 2 (so you can't load a high pressure 357 round in a 38 revolver, but you can load 38 in a 357 firearm).

    If you only use 38 cases, that spare 1/10 of an inch in the chamber will get filled with carbon and lead, so if you eventually want to load some 357 it will be tricky..

    Personally, i've only ever used 357 cases for that very reason... you can still load light target loads (3 to 4 gns of a fast pistol powder) in 357 cases.

    HTH
    Just a bit nick-picky but the newer Lee 357 dies will NOT load 38. The 38dies WILL load 357. The crimp in the 357 is too deep to do 38s. I also only use 357 cases.
    Last edited by DesG; 21-11-2017 at 12:19 PM.
    [I]DesG
    Domani e troppo tardi

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
    Posts
    5,036
    Thanks lads... and thanks for the giggle dedidick... that's exactly why I'm leaning towards the bigger calibres lol.. at some point there might also be the opportunity to get some shooting on a friend's land in the future.
    Are pistol calibered rifles conditioned for any UK ground game?
    Donald

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Huntingdon
    Posts
    9,253
    Quote Originally Posted by DesG View Post
    Just a bit nick-picky but the Lee 357 dies will NOT load 38. The 38dies WILL load 357. The crimp in the 357 is too deep to do 38s. I also only use 357 cases.
    That's odd. My .357 Lee dies have been churning out .38Spec-level loads since 1980 - at one time, up to 800 a week.

    Guess I've got a fluke set, right?

    tac

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Rotherham
    Posts
    1,456
    I do think thats write the Lee 38 dies will load 38 and 357mag. If you get the 357mag dies they will do the 357mag and the 357Max
    I would get the 38 dies make sure you get the TC ones
    Last edited by Simon_S; 14-11-2017 at 10:49 AM.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Northampton
    Posts
    3,040

    Reloading

    Find a club which does reloading courses....a book is a good idea but one to one tuition is better. Pistol calibre reloading is quite straightforward once you know what you are doing. Lee kit is fine..carbide dies, no lubing required.

    amc577

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
    Posts
    5,036
    The club I'm hoping to join does a reloading course as part of the probation term. I'm still waiting on word back about mine and my dad's membership. It dundonald rifle and Pistol club.
    Donald

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Rotherham
    Posts
    1,456
    I just use light load in a 357mag case

  15. #15
    boff180 Guest
    If economy is a priority, 357mag is the way to go.

    It’s very accurate, particularly with a light charge which means Powder goes a long way - I get just shy of 1500 rounds out of a 0.5kg tub of N320. It’s also the easiest to acquire components for.

    I’m probably going to be berated for this but in my experience Lee equipment is relatively cheap for a reason, you get what you pay for. The kit is “ok” or is inconsistent or breaks easily - their 38-55 dies for instance apart from the sizing die are actually 375H&H dies and the seating die shaves lead off the side of heads affecting their accuracy! The ones I acquired now are relegated to backup and replaced by a decent brand which do the job correctly.

    I would recommend investing in a better brand of reloading gear as it is better quality, particularly the dies. RCBS, Redding of Lyman all being excellent - the RCBS Cowboy dies being the best (imho) on the market for loading Lead heads. If progressive presses are the order of the day you cannot go wrong investing in a Dillon 550 or 650 set-up, they’re the best on the market with what is probably the most consistent Auto Powder throwing system you can get.

    Andy

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •